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Friday, November 21, 2008

This has been an extremely busy week for me. Six or seven years ago I might not have thought so, but given what has become my normal pace, this week was pushing my limits. I'm not complaining..not for a minute. It's been a wonderful week.

Sunday morning started with a trip to the ER. While making our bed I heard a "pop" and found I could barely stand up straight. When the pain didn't subside, Tom persuaded me to go have it checked and we forgot about church. The x-rays didn't show anything broken and I came home with pain meds and muscle relaxers. But no time to dwell on that.....too much to tend to this week. I told myself to buck up and get through it and worry about what hurt at week end.

November was my first month as Program Chair for my quilt guild..The Little Balkan's Quilt Guild. I spent the preceding 12 months lining up the best programs and workshops I could come up with while staying within our budget. Naturally I was nervous, wondering if my fellow guild members would like my choices.

The first workshop I planned was a Mariner's Compass wall hanging taught by my friend Cynthia Drajna from Iowa Star Quilts . She and her husband drove down from central Iowa and arrived Sunday night in time to join Tom and I at our favorite Mexican Restaurant, El Charro. Then I came home and formed two pans of cinnamon rolls from the dough that had been raising since 5:00 p.m.

Monday morning I got up in time to bake the cinnamon rolls which I'd promised to provide for every workshop this year. Here's a pic from last month when I took them to church for coffee fellowship. They were quickly eaten so I guess that means people liked them.

My friend, Betty, was here by 8:00 to do the schlepping of all the stuff I needed to cart to the workshop. I don't know what I'd ever do without good friends to help me. The workshop was a blast. We had 21 participants and Cynthia did an excellent job teaching what many consider to be a difficult block. It was so much fun seeing all the different choices of fabrics and what a great job everyone did. I wish I'd taken a picture of the group but I didn't. Perhaps I can get a copy from our historian who took pictures of the group at our guild meeting Monday night.

Here's mine, quilted, but without binding.

Following the workshop a group of us gathered at Chatters for supper and then Cynthia provided us with a WONDERFUL trunk show following our business meeting. Her quilts are just fabulous.

Tuesday I accompanied Cynthia and Greg (her husband) to Joplin where she gave a trunk show for the Town & Country Quilt Guild. This guild meets at noon and they have a potluck luncheon EVERY month...oh my....what good food! I'm thinking I wish I belonged to this guild!!!

That evening I introduced Cynthia and Greg to Chicken Annie's. I mean you can't come to Pittsburg, KS for the first time and not eat chicken..you just can't! By the time they dropped me off about 8:00 p.m. I was feeling the effects of two very long days.

Wednesday morning I got up early and baked four pies (2 custard and 2 French coconut) to take to our church's monthly chicken and noodle dinner. Another good friend, Cindy, comes by and picks them up so I don't have to make lots of trips back and forth to my car. Being on oxygen with severe COPD, means things like that are difficult for me. Our church has been hosting these dinners since at least the 1940's I'm told. They are the primary fundraiser of our UMW group. My job is to take the money as people come in to eat. The dinner consists of chicken and noodles, dressing, green beans with bacon, coleslaw, bread, drink and your choice of homemade pie. All for $6..can you believe it? Needless to say people start lining up early. We are supposed to start serving at 4:30, but people just come earlier and earlier and we had already served 68 people dining in by 4:30 plus I don't know how many carry out dinners, quarts and pints of noodles.

We were completely sold out shortly after 5:00 p.m. despite making an extra roaster full of chicken and noodles this time after selling out early in October. We had 111 adults and 4 children dine in. I don't have the figure for the number of carry out dinners and bulk purchases yet. It's usually about the same as the dine in figures. We won't have a dinner in December and will resume in January, with monthly dinners through April.

Thursday...well on Thursday I just CRASHED...took a nice long nap in the afternoon, which is something I rarely do. Then I quilted my Mariner's Compass and started on the binding after supper.

Today..well today I've mostly played with setting up this blog (with lots of help from Geta).

Whew.............I hope next week is far less hectic and filled with much more sewing.

You started out great, Mary. You're doing way better than I did. I feel awkward writing and am not very creative. I would love to dig in to one of those cinnamon rolls or pies. Your Mariner's Compass is beautiful. Yep, I need to move that up on my to-do list.

Hello, Mary! What a busy and productive week you have had! Those cinnamon rolls look mighty good! And the Mariner's Compass with all those perfect little points! Beautiful! Looking forward to visiting you again from time to time.Blessings!

Visiting upon Oklacookiemaker Quilts. Love your blog, but geez Louise, you make me tired, lol. I'm away at work from 6:15am-5:15pm, leaving previous time for quilting. I'll live thru you vicariously, k?

Waving from Tucson, and have subscribed via a reader. Whenever you post, I'll be readin'!